Hall student heading to West Point

SPRING VALLEY — Monday was a red-letter day for Chase Miller of Spring Valley.

On Monday, Miller, 18, received word that he will be attending West Point Military Academy next fall.

“It was an absolute dream,” Miller said. “I was ecstatic.”

Miller, who is a senior at Hall High School, comes from a military family, including a great-great-uncle who served and died in the Pacific during World War II. In addition, his grandfather and great-uncles were military men, and most recently his Uncle Gary Pinter served in Iraq.

That family background was not lost on the young boy.

“I always had a sense of military duty,” Miller said.

But Miller also wanted to go to college. He’s always been a good student and is currently involved in National Honors Society, Spanish Club, Science Club, Medical Health Careers Club and Hall’s WYSE team.

The military and college came together when Miller became involved with ROTC and began thinking about attending West Point.

“It was everything I ever wanted,” he said.

Miller began the process in June 2011 by applying to West Point and completing their admissions requirements, which included a physical, interviews, letters of recommendation from his teachers, and a history of his grades.

There was something more he needed. In order to be considered for admission at West Point, a prospective student needs to be nominated. Each member of Congress can have a total of five cadets at West Point at any one time and can nominate up to 10 candidates for each vacancy.

Miller contacted both Illinois Sens. Mark Kirk and Dick Durbin, and his Congressman, Rep. Aaron Schock, R-18th District. His efforts resulted in two nominations. Kirk nominated Miller based on his application alone, but Schock asked him to come down to Peoria for an interview, and then gave him his primary nomination.

Miller is looking forward to going to West Point.

“I want to go there completely open and have them shape me to be the strongest, the best version of myself as I possibly can,” he said. “Then I’ll use that to be successful, not only in school and in the military afterwards, but through every chapter of my life.”